The present invention is directed to a device for mounting accessories on a patient support apparatus which patient support apparatus comprises a frameless x-ray permeable plate.
A mounting device or arrangement which is applied to the head end of a patient support apparatus is known and an example is disclosed in the Siemens brochure KOORDINAT 3D. This mounting arrangment is employed if multi-directional radiographs, i.e., oblique radiographs from several directions, are to be made in the chest region or abdominal region. In the case of an x-ray examination, no accessories may be present in the region because they would impair the radiographs and would interfere with the handling of the apparatus. The known devices for mounting consist of a wooden plate, which has tracks and can be slipped onto an x-ray permeable plate or platform of the patient support apparatus. This mounting arrangement also possesses holes for supporting accessories such as arm supports, handles, control devices, pressure receivers and containers of sodium chloride solution.
The known mounting arrangement described hereinabove has several disadvantages, one consists in that it does not possess any standard tracks or rails for the mounting of accessories. Thus, accessories, which are designed and built for mounting on standard tracks and rails must be partially reconstructed in order that they will be able to be mounted in the holes of the device for mounting accessories. In addition, the known wooden plate extends beneath the x-ray transparent head section of the patient support apparatus so that this region cannot be radiographed in an interference-free manner when the plate of the mounting device is present.